


The Hedge Maze - A Solangelo Princes AU

by Captide



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: AU, M/M, prince AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-18 09:56:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14210616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captide/pseuds/Captide
Summary: Nico di Angelo and Will Solace have known each other for their entire lives, due to the closeness of their families. The two young princes often spent months at a time together, causing them to become best friends. But what happens when one develops feelings for the other?-A Solangelo Princes AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first fanfiction on here, and the first fanfiction I’ve written in a year. I’m guessing that most of the people reading this are followers of my instagram account, so hello again to those lovely people. This fanfiction started as a headcanon series on my instagram account, but I liked the idea so much that I decided to write an actual fanfiction about it. I don’t know how long this fanfiction will be, and I don’t even know how it’s going to end, I’m just going to let the story form as I go along. Hope you enjoy!

"Be careful!" A familiar voice called after Nico di Angelo and his best friend, William Solace, as they ran down the hallway. Nico chased Will out the large doors ahead of them and into the courtyard, which was lined with trees on two opposite sides, the castle on one side, and a hedge maze on the other. 

"It's your turn," Will pointed at Nico.

"What? No way! It was my turn last time!" Nico argued.

"You lost last time, so it's still your turn," Will said in a mocking tone.

Nico set his bottom lip in a pout, "Fine, but you're it next time."

The two eight-year-olds played hide-and-seek constantly whenever they were together. Whether they were at Nico's family castle or Will's, one of them was always hiding from the other.

Nico bounced on the balls of his feet, covering his eyes as he counted. Will giggled as he ran into the hedge maze, the early evening shadow of his family's castle looming over him. 

Will ran as fast as he could, worried that Nico would finish counting before he had settled in his hiding place. He turned right, then left, and then left again, and he heard Nico shout “Ready or not, here I come!” He turned corner after corner in random directions until, finally, he was hidden. But he was also very lost.

Will's breathing quickened as he counted the minutes that passed, waiting for Nico to find him. Ten minutes. Fifteen minutes. Twenty minutes. He heard not a single sound indicating that Nico was anywhere close by. Twenty more minutes passed, and the sun had set completely, enveloping him in darkness. 

As Will stared into the darkness, his mind conjured up nightmares. He could almost feel the hedges growing closer together, swallowing him whole. He saw imaginary eyes floating around him, seemingly taunting him. He even heard a low growl emanating from behind him, but he was too petrified to turn around. Instead, he closed his eyes and wept, pulling his knees close to his chest to comfort himself. 

His tears fell in a puddle on the ground and his sobs echoed through the maze. He blinked away many more tears, and suddenly there was light. The puddle of tears now resembled a pool of liquid gold. Will's normally pale blue eyes had become the color of glittering sapphires, and even his hair was glowing. He had heard people describe his hair as golden before, but now, as it fell around his face in bright curls, he thought it better resembled molten lava. 

Will scrambled to his feet, confused. His whole body was radiating light. He wiped tears from his face and looked down at himself. "W-w-what—?" he sputtered weakly. An orb of light formed in his chest, before it shot upwards, leading a trail of light through the sky. The ball of light exploded like silent fireworks, and Will collapsed. He lay there for an unmeasurable amount of time before he heard two sets of footsteps nearing him. The last thing Will remembered before he blacked out was two figures appearing in the darkness and someone telling him to open his eyes.

When Will awoke, he was in his bedroom. The fire in the hearth flickered dimly, but the light from it still caused Will's eyes to sting. The young boy squinted as he sat up in his bed and looked around his room. There was a blanket draped over the chair next to his bed, and underneath that blanket was a small figure with dark hair. The fire casted shadows over Nico's sleeping face and he pulled his blanket tighter around himself.

The door to Will's bedroom creaked open, and Will feared it would wake his friend, but Nico didn't move. Will turned to the doorway, where his twelve-year-old brother stood.

“You're finally awake,” Percy said with a smile as he rushed to Will's bedside, “are you okay?” He placed his hand on Will's shoulder gently, as if he was afraid of hurting his little brother.

“I'm fine, Percy,”Will shrugged his brother's hand off of his shoulder. 

Percy frowned, “You scared us for a second there. When Nico couldn't find you we almost sent out search parties, but I knew you would be in the maze. And then—,”Percy stopped, unsure of himself, “we heard you scream and we saw a flare go up. Where did you even find a flare?”

Percy's green eyes were fixed on Will, demanding answers. 

“I don't remember,” Will shook his head. He looked at his own hair in his periphery. It was no longer glowing, and it was back to its normal color. However—

“What happened to your eyes?” Percy asked. He could've sworn his brother's eyes used to be lighter than they were now. 

Will shrugged again. 

Percy glanced over to Nico, who was still sleeping soundly. “He hasn't left your bedside since we brought you here,” Percy said, “didn't even come down for dinner. I think he was really worried about you.”

Percy ruffled Will's hair, “Don't scare us like that again, okay?” Will stuck his tongue out and shoved Percy away playfully, causing Percy to hit his leg on Nico's chair.

Nico blinked and rubbed his eyes groggily as he sat upright. He yawned and stretched, and when he finally opened his eyes, they widened. 

“Will!” Nico exclaimed, basically jumping out of his chair and onto his friend's bed. He hugged Will tightly until Will told him that he couldn't breathe.

Nico pulled away from the hug and glanced at Percy. After looking at Percy for a second, Nico quickly averted his gaze. Butterflies fluttered in Nico's stomach every time he saw Percy, and though he didn't understand why this happened, he had conditioned himself to not look Percy in the eyes anymore.

“What did you do? There were fireworks—,” Nico said.

“A flare,” Percy corrected him.

“—and you got knocked out. What happened?”

“I don't know,” Will answered. It was true, he wasn't sure what had happened. He remembered himself turning into light, and he remembered passing out, but he didn't remember what had caused either of those things. 

As Will tried to remember, a sharp pain shot through his head. He winced and placed his hand on his forehead.

“What is it?” Percy asked.

Images flashed in Will's mind: a chariot, a bow-and-arrow, and a man who was glowing just like Will had been. Will blinked, and the images disappeared.

“Uh, it's nothing,” Will lied.

Percy narrowed his eyes at Will. He shook his head and frowned. “Nico, come with me,” Percy said, patting Nico on the back, “Will needs some rest.”

Nico nodded, his eyes even wider than before. He slid off of the bed and followed Percy to the door. Nico turned around and gave Will a small smile, before Percy closed the door behind them.


	2. Chapter 2

A palace guard tried to usher the two ten-year-old princes into the dining room, but they ducked under his arms and backed away from him.  "It's time for dinner," the guard said impatiently.

"We want to go outside," Will said in defiance. Nico nodded.

"The king and queen will be very cross with you two," the guard stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh, will they?" Will mocked the guard.

The man reached out to grab Will, but he dodged. "We want to go outside," Will repeated, crossing his arms. Nico copied him and crossed his own arms.

"It is dinnertime," the guard said, reaching for Will’s arm, "now if you don't—ah!" The man fell to his knees, his eyes wide. Will had kicked him right in his soft spot. 

Will winced, holding his hands in front of himself in defense, "I'm sorry!" 

The guard's expression was one of pure rage. Will and Nico made eye contact with each other for only a second, but it was enough for them to understand each other. "Run!" Nico yelled, turning towards the doors that led into the courtyard. 

Another guard came out of nowhere and approached the boys. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"Wales?" Will suggested jokingly, looking to Nico.

Nico shrugged, "Why not?"

They made a run for it, outrunning the other guard, as well as the guards he called for backup.

"The maze," Nico whispered. They were now in the courtyard, and the maze was only about ten yards away.

"Good idea," Will remarked. He led his friend into the maze and almost tripped himself up turning the first corner. "This way!" Will said, turning another corner.

After the incident two years prior, Will became obsessed with the hedge maze. He learned where each corridor led and eventually he memorized the path to the center of the maze. He still did not know what happened that night, but he did discover something odd when he was searching through the maze.

"Will, slow down! I can't keep up." Nico complained.

"We're almost there!" Will called in reply.

Nico groaned, his pace slowing. Will turned yet another corner, and they were in the center of the maze. The garden before them was about forty feet across either way, with a fifteen-foot-tall marble statue surrounded by a fountain in the middle.

"It should take them a while to find us here," Will said, satisfied. 

The boys tried to catch their breath as they walked to the center of the garden and leaned on the edge of the fountain. 

"That's the Greek god Apollo," Will explained, gesturing to the statue, "he's the god of poetry and music. He's the reason why my parents want me to learn music." 

Nico looked up at the statue, his eyes full of wonder.

"Come on," Will grabbed Nico's hand, about to pull him along, but the two boys hesitated when their hands touched and it sent a shock of electricity through their fingers. The hesitation was only momentary, and Will pulled Nico toward the fountain. 

"You have to take your shoes off and roll up your pant legs so you don't get them wet," Will said, kicking his shoes off of his feet. Nico was confused, but he did as Will said. "Now, step in." 

The boys stepped into the fountain. Nico wiggled his toes in the cold, shallow water, still looking up at the statue.

"I feel like he's staring at me," Nico moved from side-to-side. "Yeah, his eyes are definitely following me." 

Will grinned. He walked forward and placed his hand on the base of the statue.

"What are you doing?" Nico asked.

"Just watch," Will closed his eyes and furrowed his brows, trying to concentrate. Suddenly, golden light appeared in his fingertips and spread across the statue, trailing along the edges and outlining the entire thing in sunlight. 

"Whoa!" Nico exclaimed, "How did you do that?"

Will let his hand drop back down to his side, but the outline of his handprint remained on the base of the statue. 

"I'm not sure," Will answered, "when I first found the center of the maze I felt — like you said — like Apollo's eyes were following me. Something in my head told me to do what I did just now, and this happened." Will looked at the statue's eyes, which were now golden, and tilted his head. "Pretty cool, huh?" 

"Yeah," Nico agreed.

Will looked over at his friend, who had the biggest grin on his face, and he couldn't help but smile.

Nico glanced at Will, "Why are you looking at me like that?" 

Will swirled his foot around in the water, "No reason." He shrugged and splashed the water up onto the statue's feet. Staring at Will, Nico felt the strangest feeling in his stomach. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. 

Trying to ignore what he just felt, Nico placed his hand on the base of the statue, right next to Will's handprint.

"Want to see if we can make your handprint?" Will asked. Nico's eyes lit up and he nodded.

Will reached out and covered Nico's hand with his own. He closed his eyes once again, focusing. Light sparked underneath the skin on Will's hand, making his veins visible. The light disappeared for a second, before it reappeared and traced the shape of Nico's hand on the marble in gold. Nico and Will removed their hands from the stone and Nico smiled.

"Nice," Nico remarked. A perfect, golden image of his handprint was set in the marble. 

"Hey, you two!" the deep voice of one of the palace guards startled the young princes. He had just entered the center of the maze, so he was still a good distance away. 

"Come on!" Will exclaimed. He and Nico stepped out of the fountain, grabbed their shoes, and dashed towards an opening in the hedges, opposite the guard. 

"Get back here!" the guard ordered, but there was no point. The boys had already disappeared into the maze.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally wrote a new chapter! Apologies for it being so late. Hope you guys like it!

Will wrapped the bandage around Nico's hand, shaking his head in disappointment. "I told you to be more careful," Will stated with a frown.

Nico rolled his eyes. "I was being careful," he grumbled. Will gave him a look like "Are you kidding me?" Nico let out an exasperated sigh, "Anyway, I just tripped. It's not a big deal."

Will raised an eyebrow at his friend and finished wrapping the bandage around his hand. "Sure, you tripped with a sword in your hand," Will's voice cracked the way thirteen-year-old boys' voices tended to crack, "why should that be a big deal?" Will's tone was sarcastic, but he was genuinely worried when his friend fell to the ground and started bleeding. 

Nico scoffed and tore his hand from the other boy's grip. "It's barely even a cut, Will," Nico said.

"It could have been worse, though," Will patted Nico on the shoulder.

The young, dark-haired prince backed away and retrieved his sword from the ground with his uninjured hand. 

"Oh, no, you don't," Will snatched the sword from Nico's grasp and held it high above Nico's head. Nico hadn't hit his next growth spurt yet, so while Will had grown five inches in the past few months, Nico had not grown at all. 

Nico reached up, stretching his arm as high as he could. Nico stood on his toes, hoping that it might give him the extra height he needed, but Will stood on his own toes as well, causing their height difference to remain the same.

Will's mouth quirked up into a triumphant smirk. Nico reached upwards again. He glared at Will, and his heart seemed to skip a beat. Nico looked into Will's eyes and jumped. It would have a successful plan if Will's eyes had not distracted Nico. When Nico jumped, he hit Will's arm, sending the blade flying out of Will's hand. Nico landed on his shoulder in the grass.

Nico rolled onto his back, so he was staring straight up at the sky. "Are you okay?" Will asked, leaning over Nico. Nico's heart skipped another beat. In the sunlight, Will's hair seemed more golden than it was blond, and his bright blue eyes shone like sapphires. 

"Ugh!" Nico exclaimed in frustration, draping his arm over his face to cover his eyes and hopefully hide the fact that he was blushing. The sword had landed on the ground a few feet away, but Will kicked it out of Nico's reach.

Will held out his hand to help Nico up, and Nico took it. "You can have your sword back once you learn not to run with it," Will said as he helped Nico stand, "I do not want my best friend to impale himself."

But that was not what frustrated Nico. Ever since he arrived at Will's family's castle earlier that month, he had not been seeing Will the way he used to. Before, Will was just his friend, and he had only ever seen him as such. The pair had grown up, played make-believe, and caused mischief together. Now, Nico felt as if he was seeing him for the very first time. Nico was starting to look at Will the way he used to look at Will's older brother, Percy. Will was no longer the boy who Nico had played hide-and-seek with when they were six years old, he was now the boy who Nico had a crush on.

Nico remembered when he first started crushing on Percy. He remembered at first thinking that he just idolized Percy, but then he started getting that weird feeling in his chest whenever he was around the older boy. Nico started doing whatever he could to be near Percy, basically becoming his "shadow." Nico eventually realized that what he felt was not idolization, but adoration.

That was what Nico felt for Will now, and it terrified him. 

"You—you—" Nico groaned. He tilted his head upwards, closed his eyes, and sighed. 

"What's wrong?" Will asked. Nico knew exactly what was wrong, but he could never tell Will. 

"Everything," Nico decided to answer, defeated.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so harsh," Will said, "I'll give you your sword back." Will picked up Nico's sword and placed the hilt in his friend's hand. "I was just playing around," Will added. He held his hands up, as if to say "See, I'm letting you have it."

Nico looked at his friend, shaking his head. He slid the sword into the sheath hanging from his belt. "Whatever," Nico mumbled. He turned and started walking towards the hedge maze.

"What did I do?" Will called out, just as Nico disappeared inside the maze. Once Nico had hidden himself away and was sure Will had not followed him, he sat down and closed his eyes. 

"You made me like you," Nico answered quietly.


	4. Chapter 4

The two teenage princes sat beside each other on the edge of the fountain. They had rolled up their pant legs, and their bare feet were submerged in the water. The statue of the Greek god Apollo stood tall in front of them. It had been years since Nico had fallen in love with Will, and he was finally comfortable around his best friend again. When Nico was younger, and the crush was brand new, his only way of coping with his growing affection for Will was avoiding him. He never let himself be in a room alone with Will, fearful of how his emotions might rise to the surface if they had the opportunity to do so. He was, after all, a teenager, and his control over his feelings was not the strongest. That tactic worked, and over time, it became easier for Nico to be around Will. Now, though his feelings were still close to the surface, he did not let them affect him. Even now, with Will's face framed in sunlight and his cheeks red from the heat, Nico could look at him without blushing. 

"Do you remember when I first showed you this place?" Will inquired. 

Nico smiled fondly and nodded. "How could I forget?" He looked straight ahead at the base of the statue, where two small, golden handprints were imprinted in the marble. He tried to picture the two boys. One was two inches taller than the other, with a mischievous grin and blonde curls. The other was smaller, with hair almost as dark as ink and eyes sparkling with curiosity. That was how they were five years ago, before Nico had grown taller than Will and before he had realized his feelings for him. 

Will returned Nico's smile and held his hand out in front of him, palm facing up. A ball of fiery golden light formed in his hand, and he examined it for a few seconds before raising his hand upwards and releasing it into the sky. It sailed through the fluffy clouds and towards the sun directly above. 

"That's still really cool," Nico remarked, staring at Will in awe.

Will let out a light laugh. The sound was so pure and happy that Nico wished he could replay it in his mind on a loop forever. 

"Here," Will reached for Nico's hand, but Nico recoiled. He was comfortable around Will, but he did not want to push his luck. "I just want to show you something," Will explained, "trust me."

Nico was hesitant, but he let Will take his hand. Will traced on the back of Nico's hand with his index finger, leaving a trail of golden lines on Nico's skin. Within seconds, Nico's hand was decorated with a glittering doodled heart. "So awesome," Nico grinned. He looked at Will, but when their eyes met, he saw something unexpected in Will's expression - something he had longed to see but was terrified of at the same time - and quickly averted his gaze. It couldn't have been. Nico must have imagined it. Was that...love? It did not seem like the friendly type of love that Nico expected from Will. It seemed deeper. Nico immediately pushed that thought away and mentally chided himself for being so foolish. There was no way Will thought of him like that.

Nico did again what he had trained himself to do: ignore his feelings. He buried them deep within his mind, forcing himself not to think about the possibility of Will and him. Instead, Nico tried to focus on his own feet, swirling them around in the water. 

"Nico," Will said gently. Nico turned his head back to face Will, and when he did, Will's face was only inches from his. 

Nico felt the blood rushing to his cheeks as he sputtered out the only words he could muster. "What are you-? What are you doing?" Nico's voice trembled with nervousness. This was what being this close to Will did to him, only he was not used to it showing. 

Will placed his hand on Nico's cheek and ran his thumb across his cheekbone. "I don't know," Will admitted quietly. Being so close to Will's face, Nico could see every freckle on his skin. From far away, there seemed to be only a few, but Nico had never been this close to Will's face before, and now he was noticing that each larger spot consisted of a bunch of tinier freckles. That was his only thought in the moments of silence before Will closed the gap between them. 

Nico had imagined this moment so many times before. He imagined himself telling Will about his feelings, or vice versa, and the moment ending when they shared one awkward, but perfect, kiss. This was nothing like he had imagined it. Sparks were flying - literally. Small bursts of light, like tiny fireworks, went off around them in a shower of light and heat. Will's lips were soft, and he was smiling into the kiss. Nico's hands seemed to move by themselves. One went to the small of Will's back and the other to the back of his neck. He pulled Will closer, letting himself sink into the kiss. This was everything Nico had ever wanted and more. Will's hand, which was still placed gently on the side of Nico's face, seemed to be getting warmer. Nico ignored it. The two stopped for a moment, catching their breath, which allowed them to look at each other. Will's hair was now disheveled, and his face was even redder than before. Nico's eyes were brighter than Will had ever seen them. Just as Will was about to say something, Nico silenced him by pressing their lips together once more. He had been waiting years for this moment, and he wasn't even thinking anymore. He didn't want to think anymore. He kissed Will with the desperation of a boy who had been repressing his emotions for years. Now he was letting them roam free, and he loved every second of it. Kissing Will made Nico feel as if beams of sunlight were coursing through his veins, engulfing his entire being with happiness and warmth. His mind was buzzing and he felt weightless. As he pressed Will's body against his own, he felt no regret. How could he feel bad for allowing his feelings to run rampant when this felt so good? The heat in Will's palm was increasing, growing hotter by the second. Nico thought it was strange, but he continued ignoring it, drowning in the intense passion of the moment. So much for suppressing his feelings.

The heat heightened, and soon Nico felt a burning sensation on his face, stinging him with sharp ferocity. He shot to his feet, pushing Will away. Incidentally, this caused Will to topple over into the fountain. The water was only a few inches deep, but it was enough to soak Will's clothes. Nico's hand went to his face, where there was a golden, steaming smear where Will's hand had been. Will's eyes widened as he looked up at Nico, whose brows were now furrowed in pain and confusion.

"What was that?" Nico asked furiously. 

Will looked at his own hand in shock. "I don't know, I must've-"

"Not this," Nico said, indicating the golden burn with his hand, "that." He felt many emotions. Horror. Disbelief. Satisfaction. Puzzlement. 

Will absentmindedly touched his mouth, still kneeling in the fountain water. "But, you - I mean, you seemed to..." The franticness and horror in Will's voice mirrored Nico's. "I thought you..." Will's voice trailed off. He bit his lip and attempted to stand, but stumbled back into the shallow water. 

"Well, you thought wrong." Nico's words were like a knife to Will's stomach. Nico stepped out of the fountain and started to walk away, leaving his shoes by the edge of the fountain. He couldn't turn back. He couldn't face Will. 

"Nico, wait!" Will called out, hurt in his voice. Nico exited the courtyard without turning back. 

Will sank back, leaning against the base of the statue, but still sitting in the water. He looked up and saw the golden handprints that he and his best friend had left on the statue all those years ago. At that moment, he felt like he had ruined everything. He wanted the water to rise up and swallow him whole.


	5. Chapter 5

Days had passed. Will hadn't heard from Nico since that day in the hedge maze, though he knew exactly where Nico was. After running off, Nico barricaded himself in the guest bedroom that he had claimed. He had his meals sent up to his room and didn't answer the door when anyone knocked. He was ashamed. He couldn't believe he actually gave in. He also couldn't believe that Will had initiated the kiss. 

Will couldn't believe it, either. 

Will convinced Nico's older sister, Bianca, to try to get Nico to talk to him, but Nico wouldn't even open the door for her.

"Whatever you did," Bianca told Will, "must have been awful." There was no bitterness in her voice. She was simply making an observation. Will agreed with her. What he had done was, indeed, very awful. He had ruined his friendship. Years of history had been completely erased, all because of a stupid kiss. 

Will hadn't made any attempt to talk to Nico yet, but after the fourth day, the separation became unbearable. Will just missed his friend. He stood at the end of the hallway. Nico's door was only a few feet away. He could just knock. He wanted to knock. But he hesitated. What if Nico didn't forgive him? What if what he had done was so horrible that Nico couldn't even look him in the eyes anymore? These thoughts weighed on Will's shoulders, discouraging him from knocking. He was about to give up and turn around, but then Nico's door opened. 

Nico looked surprisingly okay, especially compared to Will. Will had not gotten any sleep since that day, nor had he changed his clothes. 

Nico's expression was neutral as he stared at Will. 

"How did you-?" Will didn't finish his sentence.

"I heard you pacing," Nico said. Awkwardness hung in the air, a fact which was painfully obvious to both of the boys. 

"Right," Will cleared his throat.

Seconds of silence followed. The awkwardness grew heavier. "So...?" Nico trailed off, looking Will up and down. 

"Oh, um, I wanted to check on you," Will lied, "make sure you weren't dead or anything." What he really longed to do was confess his feelings, but after Nico's reaction the other day, he was afraid.

"I am," Nico said simply. It hadn't been this awkward between them since Nico first started crushing on Will. 

Will didn't know how to be like this with Nico; he felt so distant. He wanted to talk to his best friend the way he could before - before he ruined everything. He wanted to reverse time and undo what he had done. He wanted everything to go back to the way it was. But, in his mind, it was too late. 

"If that's all, I'd really like to go to sleep now," Nico started to close the door. Will knew this was his only chance; if he didn't right his wrongs now, things between them would continue to be this way. Will blocked the door's path with his foot and pushed it open.

"I know what I did was unforgivable," Will said. Nico's tired eyes widened and he looked over Will's shoulder, checking to see if the hallway was clear, before he pulled Will into his room and shut the door behind him. He shushed Will, fearing that someone may overhear their conversation.

"What are you talking about?" Nico questioned in a hushed tone. 

"In the center of the hedge maze, when we - er, when I," Will answered, "kissed you."

Nico wore a baffled expression. He hadn't expected Will to actually say it.

"It was stupid and invasive and I'm sorry," Will said. Nico was suddenly very aware of how close he had pulled Will to him when he ushered Will into his room.

"You don't need to apologize," Nico stated. If anything, Nico was the one who regretted what he had done that day the most. Will had done what Nico had been afraid to do. Nico admired Will's courage, and he wished he hadn't reacted the way that he did.

"Yes, I do," Will argued, "I crossed a line, and now I've...ruined everything."

Nico didn't speak.

"I know you must hate me-" Will said.

"Hate you?" Nico said in disbelief, "Will, when you...kissed me, I was caught off guard. You made me face some things that I have been keeping hidden from even myself for a long time."

"So, what you're saying is...what?" Will was even more confused now than he had been before. 

"I'm saying that..." Nico struggled to actually say it. He wasn't accustomed to being so open about his feelings. He stepped forward, closer to Will, and placed a hand on his chest. "I'm saying, um..." he repeated, this time a bit quieter. He looked up at Will.

Before Nico knew it, he was standing on his toes, breaking the few inches of distance between himself and Will. This time, there were no sparks. In fact, it was rather dark in Nico's room.

This time, it felt different. It felt less like a dream. This time, Will could feel how cold Nico’s skin was, and it caused chills to run up his spine.

Darkness enveloped them, dimming the candles in the room and shrouding them in a void. Neither of them noticed, however, because they were too focused on one another. This kiss was shorter than the last one - less intense, less desperate. This time, Nico was in control of his emotions. When Nico pulled away, he looked up at Will. Staring into Nico’s eyes, a sparkling brightness in the dark, Will wanted to kiss him again, but he knew he shouldn’t.

“That...um...that was...” Will could barely form his words. Nico stepped backwards and laughed, and suddenly the candles returned to their lit, but still dim, state.

“I know,” Nico said, breathless. He sat down on his bed, running his hand through his hair. Will put his face in his hands and let out an exasperated sigh. He didn’t know what to do next. He knew he had to talk to Nico about what to do about...whatever this was, but he didn’t know how to talk about it.

Will was glad when Nico spoke first. “So, are we going to ignore this, or...?”

“I don’t know,” Will replied, “should we?” Will joined Nico, sitting on the edge of the bed. 

The two boys looked at each other. Nico shrugged.

“I don’t think we should let this go,” Will said, “do you?” He placed his hand on top of Nico’s. 

Nico looked at their hands, then back at Will. He leaned forward, his face flushed red, and placed a quick, gentle kiss on Will’s lips. Their foreheads touched, and Nico could feel the warmth radiating from Will’s body. Nico bit his lip, sitting back. “I think we should see where this goes.” 

Will nodded in agreement. Before separating from Nico and walking towards the door. 

“Will I see you tomorrow?” Will turned around to face Nico.

Nico sat up straighter and nodded quickly. 

“Good,” Will said, and he left the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally getting back into a routine with my life and making time to write, and now I have a rough outline in my head of this story’s plot. Also! Remember: comments are a writer’s fuel. Reading positive reviews/comments encourages me to write more. Just putting that out there. Stay tuned for the next chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

“I know you hate this,” Nico whispered to Will, who was standing beside him and smiling. The party had been going on for hours.

“I don’t,” Will said through his teeth. He most certainly did hate this. He waved to someone.

“You’ve always hated parties,” Nico stated, smirking. People around the room were mingling, causing a quiet roar of conversation to fill the room.

Will greeted someone else with a wave and sighed. “Fine, I do hate it,” he admitted. “My parents keep trying to find me a ‘nice girl to marry.’” At this, Nico laughed, but his stomach dropped. His parents had been doing the same for years. This only reminded him of how his relationship with Will was bound to change soon - once their parents arranged marriages for them...to women.

It had been an unspoken thing between the two boys in the past few weeks of their relationship. This was temporary. No matter how strong their feelings for one another were, they had duties to fulfill.

Will noticed the strange expression on Nico’s face and pulled him discreetly out of the ballroom. The two boys hid in the connected hallway, leaving the tall, looming door cracked open behind them. “Look, I just want to see my parents happy. It’s my sixteenth birthday, of course they’re going to want to throw me a party,” Will said, “it’s the least I can do, given how I’m going to turn their lives upside down pretty soon.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Nico said, looking down at their interlocked fingers. 

“You know exactly what it means,” Will said, smiling goofily, and nudged Nico’s shoulder with his own.

At that sentence, Nico’s eyes widened. “You can’t possibly think we can tell them about us,” Nico said, squeezing Will’s hand.

“All in due time, my love,” Will said nonchalantly. Nico suddenly froze in place, and his head turned to look at Will.

“What did you just call me?” Nico asked in disbelief. 

Will, realizing what he had said, looked just as shocked as Nico did. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, a woman’s voice called out, “William!” 

Will let go of Nico’s hand and groaned. It was his mother’s voice calling him. Nico laughed at Will.

As they heard her footsteps nearing, Nico backed into the corner, seeming to dissolve into the shadows

The door creaked open, and a short, dark-haired woman appeared. “William, your guests are waiting. They want you to open gifts.” Will stood in the middle of the hallway, unmoving.

“Alright, mother,” Will said, exhaling, “just give me one moment.” 

She gave him an impatient look, but nodded and returned to the ballroom. 

Nico stepped out of the darkness. “You should get back,” he wrapped an arm around Will’s waist, pulling him closer.

“Wait, about what I said, I—,” Will tried to explain, but Nico pressed his finger against Will’s lips to silence him.

“It’s not important...love,” Nico said. He gave Will a quick kiss on the cheek and pushed him away, toward the doors. When Will looked back, Nico was gone, replaced by the seemingly endless darkness of the corridor.

Will shook his head, a smile plastered on his face, and slipped out the door. Meanwhile, Nico had made his way to the end of the corridor, and was crouched low to the ground, breathing heavily. Though he would never show it in front of Will, he was panicked.

Will loved Nico. Or, at least, Nico assumed that he did, based on what he had been saying. That wasn’t the scary part, though - Nico had loved Will for a while now, and he wasn’t afraid to admit it. What scared Nico was how he would be forced to stop loving Will soon. He could not let Will tell his parents about their relationship. He didn’t want to be responsible for Will’s life falling apart. Besides, Will had confessed to Nico that he was attracted to both boys and girls, so at least Will could be somewhat happy if his parents arranged a marriage for him.

Nico, on the other hand, hoped his own parents decided against an arranged marriage for himself, but that was less important to him. If he was destined to be unhappy forever, he could live with it. His only wish was for Will’s happiness.

Despite that, Nico selfishly wished that whatever he and Will had together could last longer. At least a couple years.

Nico watched Will go as the light from the ballroom lit up his figure. Will left the door open behind him, but Nico remained hidden. He could see Will’s mother come into view, but he couldn’t hear their conversation.

“You look flustered, darling,” Will’s mother noted, “are you alright?” 

As Will looked back into the hallway, unknowingly looking at Nico, he smiled. “I’m fine, mother.” 

Nico stared at Will, though Will was unaware of this, and felt his eyes stinging. Nico fought back tears, despite the fact that no one could see him.

A whisper in the darkness. A hidden boy, gasping for air, trying and failing to hold his emotions in. 

“I love you, William.”


	7. Chapter 7

Will sat on the blanket next to the fountain. Nico was at his side, tracing his thumb along the skin on Will’s arm. The center of the hedge maze had become their own secret place. No one else ever seemed to go there, so the boys had it all to themselves.

The boys had been together for three months, though it felt like it had been longer. Originally, Nico was only meant to spend the summer with Will’s family, but after the initial three months, the boys decided on a longer visit. They were young, and very much in love, and they wanted every moment they could get with one another.

“What a perfect day,” Will remarked, leaning back and soaking in the sunlight. He looked at Nico, whose skin had recently tanned due to how much time the couple was spending in the hedge maze. Nico had his eyes closed, so he could not see how Will was admiring him. While Will was softness and warmth, Nico’s appearance was like a marble statue’s. He was all cheekbones and angles. Will wanted to run his hands through Nico’s impossibly dark hair and kiss every inch of his perfectly-sculpted face.

But he held himself back. If he gave in every time he felt like making out with Nico, their relationship would have been made public long ago. Instead, Will settled for watching Nico, in awe of how perfect he seemed.

“I know,” Nico agreed, opening his eyes. He leaned in closer to Will, resting his head on Will’s shoulder.

“I hope the weather stays this way for the wedding,” Will said. Ah, yes, the wedding. One month ago, Will’s brother, Percy, had announced his engagement to a girl from the local village. Will’s parents were unhappy with the engagement at first, but they eventually grew to like Annabeth. The wedding was only two days away now.

“Speaking of weddings, I’ve been thinking,” Will said. “I’m going to tell my parents that I do not want an arranged marriage.”

Nico’s head shot up and he let go of Will’s hand. “Why?”

“You know why, Nico. I can’t marry someone else,” Will stated. “And I want to tell them...about us.”

“Will, you can’t.” Nico insisted.

“Why not?” Will asked.

Nico grabbed Will’s hand again, “Why can’t this just be enough for now?”

“How could this be enough? Stolen kisses when no one is around? Hushed conversations in dark rooms? Running away to this stupid maze every time we want to be together? I don’t think I can take much more of this...sneaking around all the time.” Will didn’t mean to sound as harsh as he did.

Nico averted his gaze. “So, I’m not enough?”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know that,” Will said.

“But it is what you meant. Why can’t you just be happy with me? Why does everyone else have to be a part of the relationship?” Will didn’t respond. “Do you not understand what will happen if you tell them?” Nico questioned. He moved further away from Will, seating himself directly across from him. “They will separate us. We will never get to see each other again. And they will arrange a marriage for you anyway. I don’t want that.”

“What do you want, then? What is the end goal here? We can’t go on like this forever,” Will spoke the words that had been haunting Nico’s mind for months. Where was this going? What good could come of this?

“Ugh!” Nico exclaimed, frustrated with himself, with Will, with the Universe. “I don’t know, I—I just want you,” Nico’s voice was shaky. He didn’t know what else to say.

Nico and Will were staring at each other, fire in their gazes. Will’s expression softened when Nico spoke his last sentence, and all of his thoughts went out the window. He reached forward, his hand hooking around the back of Nico’s neck, and pulled Nico towards himself. Their lips met, and Nico’s frustration melted away. The boys momentarily forgot what they had been fighting about. Will’s lips were burning hot, and Nico’s were cold, meeting in a clash of heat and emotion. Will let go of all self-control, knotting his hands in Nico’s hair just like he had been longing to do all day.

Their passionate moment was broken up by the sound of a twig snapping. The boys broke away from each other with lightning speed, but it was too late. Whoever had entered the clearing had already seen them. They looked up in unison, turning their eyes towards the source of the noise.

At one of the entrances to the center of the maze stood a blonde girl, no more than two years older than Will. Her gray eyes cut back and forth between Will and Nico, assessing the situation. Her cheeks had gone as red as a tomato. She took a step forward.

Nico flinched, and Will was frozen in place.

“Hi, um, hello,” Nico said, rushing to his feet and fixing his hair. Will followed suit.

“We were just, um...talking about your wedding,” Will said. “Exciting thing...the wedding. Love weddings.”

Annabeth smiled, looking at her hands. “William, I’m sorry...I mean...it’s good to see you again.” She looked at the two boys, who had separated themselves by a few feet. “And you, as well, Nico.” Annabeth pointed behind herself, “Percy wanted me to tell you, Nico. Your parents have arrived.”

Will tried to look as casual as possible. Nico attempted to do the same but failed miserably. "Okay, I'll be right there."

Annabeth nodded, giving the boys a sympathetic look. She turned to leave.

“You’re not going to tell Percy about this, are you?” Nico blurted out. Will shot a glare in his direction.

Annabeth looked back at them, smiling. “What’s there to tell?” She winked at the boys and walked back the way she came, and Nico let out a sigh of relief.

“We should go,” Will said. Nico immediately agreed, and the boys began folding up the blanket. Though Will knew how much Nico opposed the idea, Annabeth’s reaction to seeing the two of them together gave him hope. Perhaps his parents wouldn’t react so badly. Perhaps they would allow the relationship to continue.

To Nico, that seemed impossible.

* * *

 "Why did my parents have to come?" Nico and Will walked down the hall, keeping a foot of distance between them.

"My parents wanted them here for the wedding," Will answered, shrugging.

They reached the end of the hallway and stopped at the door. Nico stared at the handle, a look of dread on his face. "I'm not ready for this," Nico said.

"Hey," Will said in a low voice, "your parents are nice."

"Correction: my _mother_ is nice."

"It's just a few days, Nico. You'll be fine."

 _I hope so,_ Nico thought as he opened the door. In the foyer, Nico's family was mingling with Will's. Bianca was talking to Percy, while Nico's mother was busy greeting Will's mother and Annabeth. Maria held both of Annabeth's hands, speaking enthusiastically. Normally, this would not be acceptable behavior for a queen, but Queen Maria was known for her open and casual interactions with people. She was a stark contrast to her children, and her personality resembled Hazel's more than it did Nico or Bianca's - and Hazel was not even her biological child.

Hazel's face brightened when she saw Nico, and she ran across the room to him. She tackled him in a hug, but his arms remained by his sides, indicating his discomfort. Hazel sensed this and let him go, though her happy expression did not waver. "I missed you so much," Hazel said. "Why didn't you write me?"

“I didn’t have the time,” Nico lied.

Bianca, who had overheard their exchange, slid into the conversation. She ruffled Nico’s hair, “What was taking up so much of your time, little brother? Have you been chasing after the local girls?” Bianca then turned to Will, who tried to suppress his grin. “William, you do keep him in check, don’t you?”

Will made eye contact with Nico and let out a cool laugh. “I guess you could say that.” He scratched the back of his neck and winked at Nico. The move was so subtle that Nico imagined no one noticed it except him, but it made his heart skip a beat.

Will tried to keep himself from laughing. Nico just glared at him.

“I’m rather excited for the wedding, aren’t you?” Hazel looped her arm through Nico’s. Her eyes were fixed on Percy and Annabeth, who kept stealing glances at each other across the room. Nico followed her gaze.

A few years ago, seeing Percy with someone else would have made Nico extremely jealous, but ever since he became closer with Will, Nico saw Percy differently. He wasn’t someone to pine over. He was just...someone. As Nico watched the betrothed couple, he imagined himself and Will in their place. What he would give to be able to look at Will like that in public: with loving adoration. He knew it could never be like that, though. He had accepted it by now. Their families would never allow two boys to be together. It was just something Nico had learned to live with.

Annabeth tore her gaze away from Percy and caught Nico and Hazel staring, but they both averted their eyes quickly.

Nico nodded in agreement with Hazel.

”The music, the dancing, the cake,” Hazel thought aloud, “everything is going to be so perfect.”

Nico thought to himself,  _well, almost perfect._ He bit his lip, forcing himself not to look at Will.  _Perfect_ to Nico would have been dancing with Will through the night, not caring about whoever was watching them.  _Perfect_ would be feeling carefree as he and Will spun on the dancefloor.  _Perfect_ would be the stars twinkling overhead as he and Will held each other close. The thought of it made butterflies form in Nico's stomach. But he knew that no matter how hard he wished for it,  _perfect_ would never arrive.


	8. Chapter 8

"So, Will," Bianca said, taking a sip of her drink, "how has my little brother been behaving since I left?"

"He's been . . . tolerable," Will smiled into his own glass as he drank from it.

They were seated around a circular table - Bianca, Will, Nico, Hazel, and Will's cousin, Octavian - at the wedding reception. The ceremony was beautiful, though Nico couldn't keep his eyes off Will the entire time. The poor boy didn't even notice when Percy and Annabeth were pronounced husband and wife and everyone else rose from their seats. Bianca had to force him out of his seat.

"I should hope so," Bianca replied. "What about his sword-fighting skills?" she turned to Nico, "Have you been training anymore?" 

"Oh, he's improved greatly," Will noted, "I even taught him a few new moves." Will looked at Nico from across the table, raising his eyebrows. Nico choked on his drink.

Nico tried to speak through his coughs, "Yeah, um - he's been - real-really helpful." Hazel patted Nico's back, looking concerned. Will attempted to stifle his laugh by taking another sip, but Bianca noticed. Bianca looked back and forth between Will and Nico, seeming to be piecing something together in her mind. Her eyes widened, and it was as if she had found a missing puzzle piece that had just clicked into place.

Suddenly, the pace of the ambient music changed, and it formed a slow melody. Hazel's face lit up.

She turned to her brother, "Dance with me?" 

Nico looked hesitant. "Um, I'm not sure you want me to. Remember what happened last time?"

Hazel did remember. The last time she had danced with Nico was at her thirteenth birthday party. The incident involved Nico stepping on Hazel's dress, tripping her and making her fall into the dessert table.

Hazel raised one eyebrow, leaning towards Nico. "Come on, Nico. This time I'll lead," she pleaded. Nico shook his head stubbornly. "Fine, either you dance with me, or I dance with Octavian."

Nico took one good look at Octavian, who seemed to be stabbing the table with a butter knife and muttering to himself.

"Yeah, okay, I'll dance with you." 

Hazel smiled in satisfaction and held out her hand to Nico. Bianca stood and did the same, silently asking Will to dance with her. Candles lined a makeshift dancefloor in the middle of the castle's courtyard, and Percy and Annabeth stood at the center of it, dancing together. Couples surrounded them, dancing in sync. The pairs made their way to the floor of the outdoor ballroom. Bianca and Will began dancing, surrounded by music. Nico hesitated, but after he noticed some people staring he began dancing as well. 

As Nico and Hazel danced, Nico kept catching sight of Will, who seemed to be dancing much better than Nico was. He tried not to, but he couldn't help watching as Will gracefully floated across the floor.

After the song ended, the dancers applauded the band, who then began playing a different song. 

"Mind if I step in?" Bianca asked. Nico and Hazel hadn't even noticed that she and Will had approached until Bianca spoke.

Hazel dramatically took Nico's hand and placed it in Bianca's as she switched places so that she could dance with Will. Once the dancing resumed, Bianca leaned her head closer to Nico's ear so he could hear her over the music.

"The ceremony was beautiful, wasn't it?" Bianca said casually.

"They look so happy," Nico replied, looking over Bianca's shoulder at Percy, who had the biggest smile on his face.

A moment of silence passed over them. Bianca took this as her chance to speak, being sure her voice was below the volume of the music, but loud enough that Nico could hear her.

"I know about you and Will," Bianca stated. Nico tried to conceal the shock on his face.

"I don't know what you're-"

"I know you, Nico. You may be able to lie to our parents, but you can't fool me," Bianca grinned. Nico stayed in stunned silence, dancing a little slower now. "Look, what's between you two is none of my business, but I care too much about you to not say anything. I know that you're . . . naive. You want to believe that this can work." She sighed, letting her grin turn into a frown. Nico opened his mouth to protest, but realized that she was right. "The truth is, I can't see this ending well. There will be repercussions, and someone will get hurt."

Nico remained silent.

"I'm not saying you need to end it, all I'm saying is that you need to be careful. Both of you." Bianca said. "And I'm here to talk, if you need me. I know you're not as tough as you like to act." She smiled and stepped back as the song ended.

Without saying a word, Nico stepped away from the dancefloor, leaving his sister in the middle of the crowd. Bianca had voiced what he already knew to be true. Looking around at all the happy faces - the faces of the people who he had been lying to - Nico realized he couldn't stay here. He had to leave.

As he walked towards his table, he bumped into Will.

"Nico, are you okay?" Will had to fight the urge to place his hand on Nico's cheek. "You look really pale."

Nico put on a fake smile and adjusted his coat. "Oh, yeah, psh, I'm great." He lied. "I just need some air."

"Nico, we're outside," Will stated, confused.

"Right," Nico said, laughing at himself, "I just meant that I don't feel well. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay." Will agreed, more confused than he had been before. Nico walked past him and started toward the castle.

* * *

When Nico reached his bedroom, he broke down. He could see the festivities still going on through his window, but he forced himself to look away. First, Annabeth found out, and now Bianca. Bianca had seen right through them. If she knew, how many other people could tell?

The back of Nico’s throat burned, and his eyes threatened tears. He collapsed onto his bed, willing himself to sleep. In his dream, he saw Will. They were at the wedding again, only Will was standing in the center of the dancefloor. His hand was outstretched toward Nico, who began moving forward. He took Will’s hand, and the boys began dancing. They waltzed and twirled around the floor, until the candles around them were extinguished.

The two boys separated and looked around them. People stood in a circle around them, blocking them from moving. Everyone’s eyes were blank as they stepped in closer. Nico felt like he was suffocating. Percy. Bianca. Hazel. Their parents. Annabeth. Their expressions were judgmental, and they were focused on Will. Ignoring Nico, the group stepped closer and closer to Will, until Nico could no longer see him through the crowd. He heard Will calling out, but he could not find him.

“Nico!” Will called, “Nico!”

Nico’s eyes shot open. He sat up in his bed, dripping with sweat. “Nico!” Will said from the other side of Nico’s door.

“You’ve been asleep all day,” Will said, “are you okay in there?”

Nico’s breathing was frantic and heavy. “I’m...I’m fine!” He fell back onto his pillow and sighed.

He knew what he needed to do. And he already hated himself for it.


	9. Chapter 9

>   _My dearest, Nico,_
> 
> _These past four months have been dreadful without you. Though I know you will be returning soon, I cannot help my impatience. Can't you arrive any sooner? My parents are driving me crazy and I long for the solace that is your presence. Would you consider coming to see me_ before  _your birthday? I know how your father wishes you to spend more time at home, but I miss having your company. Anyway, I just thought it couldn't hurt to ask. You are, as always, in my heart._
> 
> _~W_

Will folded the letter and sealed the envelope. He looked out his window and saw the hedge maze, which only made his heart ache more. He forced his eyes to look elsewhere.

Nico couldn't arrive soon enough.

* * *

 

> ~~_Dearest, Will,_ ~~
> 
> ~~_I miss you, too._ ~~

Nico leaned over his writing desk. He crumpled up the piece of parchment he had been writing on. Will's last letter to him lay flat on the desk, beside a stack of blank parchment.  _No,_ Nico thought, shaking his head,  _I need to sound more indifferent._

 

> ~~_Dear William,_ ~~
> 
> ~~_I apologize for not coming sooner_ ~~

 Nico set his pen down. He had been dreading this for months. After he had left, he and Will had been writing letters back-and-forth. They limited themselves to writing two letters each per month, so they would not arouse suspicion. He was to visit Will in one month, after his own seventeenth birthday. He knew that this would be his final letter before seeing Will again, and he wanted to seem as detached as possible in his writing. After all, he was going to break up with Will soon, and he wanted to lessen the amount of pain that both he and Will would feel.  _Okay, let's try this again._

 

 

> _William,_
> 
> _Unfortunately, my mother and father both insisted on my staying with them until after my birthday. Hazel, as well. I think they fear I am spending too much time with your family. You know how possessive they can be. Also, I have been spending as much time as I can with Bianca before she begins the more time-consuming portion of her preparations to be Queen, for it will only be a few years until she ascends to the throne. Bianca is very important to me, and the thought of not being able to spend time with her frightens me._
> 
> _It is only a month until my next visit, so there is no need to become too impatient. I will see you soon enough. Until then, however, I hope that this letter has granted you a worthy enough answer for my extended absence._
> 
> _~N_

* * *

Disappointment. That was what Will felt upon reading Nico's letter. Nico had never been the most affectionate person in his writing, but Will expected more than this. Nico's words seemed . . . empty. Will tried to brush it off, but it was all that he thought about in the month leading up to Nico's arrival. That and the birthday surprise he had planned. But that would have to wait. As Will re-read Nico's letter for the millionth time now, he saw movement out the window. A carriage. Nico's carriage. He folded the letter back up, slid it underneath his mattress, and made his way downstairs to greet Nico.

 


End file.
